Tuesday, February 27, 2007

If you missed The Black Donnellys last night, go find it. It's that good. Paul Haggis rules me. And not just because I'm a sucker for brothers/friends racing headlong into a fistfight they know they can't win. Though I am. Worked for me in Saturday Night Fever, worked in Good Will Hunting, works here. Not sure how long Haggis is involved with the show, but if he is, I'll be there.

Monday, February 26, 2007

In my nine years of doing this, I've blurbed five books. That's it. Here's number six -- and one that, if you're as equally insane as I am, you'll love. Ben Holcomb is so damn talented...I can't even finish the sentence. The first time I met him, it was at his college art show -- and he had a Mego Batmobile with him (with Batman and Robin action figures of course). It was love at first sight (and proof art shows were cooler in Ann Arbor than in New York).

Friday, February 23, 2007

As comic book movies have proliferated over the past few years, comic fans have begun to wonder – when will we start seeing the team-based films? As Marvel’s X-Men films have shown, putting more than one super-powered character into a film can work…but what about the icons joining up?

Possibly sooner than expected.

According to Variety Warner Bros. is looking to produce a Justice League movie, and has hired Kiernan and Michele Mulroney to pen the script. After rumors of a possible Batman vs. Superman film this is the first actual news that the studio is looking to make a feature based on more than one hero.

As the trade reported/speculated, such a film would certainly include some blend of DC Comics’ iconic heroes, rather than wholly B-listers.

"The Justice League of America has been a perennial favorite for generations of fans, and we believe their appeal to film audiences will be as strong and diverse as the characters themselves," Warner President of production Jeff Robinov said in announcing the hiring of the Mulroneys.

As Variety mentioned, and fans will surely begin to discuss, such a film has many complicating issues inherent, such as cast – will Warner Bros, if they include Superman and Batman in the mix, cast Brandon Routh and Christian Bale – their current Superman and Batman, or will they re-cast the roles for this project (as each approach would come with budgetary considerations)? Will the film version of the Justice League be connected to the heroes’ solo films? Where does the film take place in the heroes’ lives, and the team's timeline? How will a Justice League film coordinate among all of the production teams working on the various individual properties?

While the Justice League has starred in a handful of their own animated television series over the years, the idea has been tested out in a live action manner, in Warners’ Smallville, which has featured a growing list of other young heroes (Green Arrow, Cyborg, Flash, Aquaman, along with a young Superman) in guest appearances, which culminated in the episode entitled “Justice.”

If the potential problems can be hammered out, the inclusion of a Justice League film franchise would add a major player to Warner Bros. superhero film slate, which already has a Batman sequel set for a 2008 release, and a Superman sequel for 2009, with Wonder Woman trying to get off the starting blocks.

And of course, the Justice League may not be the only team in town – Marvel has previously announced their intent to produce a film based on it’s premiere super-team, The Avengers. Although, Marvel has said it would like to see an Avengers film occur after Iron Man, Thor and Captain America have their own individual film franchises launched.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

An unidentified crewman poses with an adult Colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) caught by New Zealand fishermen in deep ocean off Antarctica Februrary 22, 2007. The fishermen may have caught the largest Colossal squid ever.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Have to say, I'm shocked Ghost Rider did so well (though of course rooting for Jack & Bobby's Matt Long in it).

So...anybody actually see it? I wanna hear comic reader reviews.

Also, went to a great literacy event this weekend. Saw (huge name dropping coming) former President Bush there. Best part was him telling stories to the crowd that're in The Book of Fate. Surreal plus two.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- To an Arizona middle school, Batman! Three schools in the north Phoenix suburb of Cave Creek were on lockdown for about 45 minutes Wednesday morning after a student at Desert Arroyo Middle School reported seeing a person dressed as Batman run across campus, jump a fence and disappear into the desert, Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said.

The student described the person as 6 feet 3 inches tall and possibly male.

"We're assuming it was male, although they did have a mask on," Clark said.

Officers combed the desert around the middle school. A nearby elementary school and high school also were on lockdown as officers sought the caped crusader.

The result - no Batman.

"It's just one of those interesting little stories that we looked into but we couldn't find anyone," Clark said.

Nedda Shafir, a spokeswoman for the Cave Creek Unified School District, said putting all the schools on lockdown was a precautionary measure.

"We didn't want to take any chances," Shafir said. "We just don't want to put anyone at risk."

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Back from London and all is warm here. Best surprise coming back: my mom made me move my comics out of her apartment 10 years ago. Today she calls and says, "I found one box in the back of the closet."

It was a short longbox. I assumed it was a few leftover comics from the 70s and 80s. And it was. But it also had all my old DC digests. The ones I lived on when I was little: The Year's Best Comics Stories, the Adventure digests with the old Legion stories, even the JSA one with the keen new Perez cover. I saw them and my childhood returned and I was rooting all over again for Polar Boy to get membership.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Just got word that the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and the American Library Association (ALA) have chosen Identity Crisis to be on their 2007 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens list.

It's not the honor that really fluffs me up, it's this:

"The purpose of the Great Graphic Novels for Teens list is to encourage teens to discover and enjoy quality works of sequential art that are both engaging and entertaining."

Encouraging people to read comics. In the libraries. That's where I learned to love books. I'm so so thrilled to see they're arming themselves with comics. And that's why I love librarians. Really.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Here I am in London for the book tour for The Book of Fate, which is being published here today -- and in honor of this town (truly one of my favorites in the world), here's the opening page of script from Alan Moore's Watchmen (which upon reading this opening, pulled it ahead of Dark Knight for this week):

Page 1, Panel 1:

"Alright. I'm psyched up. I've got blood up to my elbows, veins in myteeth and my helmet and kneepads securely fastened. Let's get out there andmake trouble this first page is..."

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Yes, to give Ed a rest after two back-to-back 30 pagers (in JLA issues 6 and 7), Shane Davis is going to be doing Chapter 1 of JLA/JSA. And let me say, he's incredible. I don't say that to hype. I've seen the pages. His Wildcat, his Roy, his Hawkgirl, his Batman and Black Lightning and Mr. Terrific... Geoff and I are truly truly excited. And then Ed is back for issues 9 and 10.

Also, just saw Ed's layouts for the cover of issue 7. The cover itself is designed by the genius that is Eric Wight and if this works out as we hope, will be such a wonderful tribute to all the JLA ages.